Vidarbha Farmers Reminisce Dr. Manmohan Singh's 2006 Visit, Honoring the First National Farm Loan Waiver

Yavatmal (Maharashtra), Dec 27 (NationPress) Grieving yet appreciative, farmers from Vidarbha in eastern Maharashtra reflected on the significant visit of the late Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh to their beleaguered region in 2006, a visit that ultimately paved the way for the introduction of the first nationwide farm loan waiver in 2008, as highlighted by a leading activist on Friday.

The visit of Dr. Singh was a direct response to a troubling rise in farmer suicides beginning in February 2004, following the government's decision to allow duty-free imports of inexpensive cotton, which triggered a devastating crisis in the agricultural sector.

"I had sent multiple appeals to the government, urging them to address the ongoing ‘genocide’ among farmers due to a severe downturn, crop failures caused by the widespread adoption of BT-II technology, misguided policies of the former NDA government led by late PM A. B. Vajpayee, and other contributing factors,” stated Kishore Tiwari, a prominent farm activist and leader of Shiv Sena (UBT), while speaking to IANS.

In response to the crisis, Dr. Singh took action and instructed the then Chairman of the National Farmers Commission, Dr. M.S. Swaminathan, to visit Vidarbha in October 2005 to conduct a thorough assessment and provide a detailed report.

The situation in Vidarbha became increasingly dire due to short-sighted policies from the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Vajpayee administration, which exacerbated the crisis in the cotton-growing heartlands within a mere two to three years.

“After Dr. Swaminathan’s visit and subsequent report, Dr. Singh undertook an unprecedented two-day study visit to Vidarbha in July 2006, making him the first Indian Prime Minister to immerse himself in the epicenter of farmers' suicides in Yavatmal district and nearby Wardha, gaining a profound understanding of the prevailing hardships first-hand, which left an indelible mark on the local farmers,” remarked Tiwari.

During his visit, Dr. Singh engaged with local farmers, including Tiwari and other activists, discussing critical issues affecting the most severely impacted areas. He subsequently announced a comprehensive relief package valued at Rs 4,000 crore, specifically for the beleaguered districts of Vidarbha such as Yavatmal, Wardha, Amravati, Akola, Washim, and Buldhana.

“I have been traveling through Vidarbha for the past two days to witness the dire conditions of farmers in this area. I had the opportunity to converse with families, including widows of farmers who took their own lives, and listened to many farmers in severe distress. These interactions have left a profound impact on me. The farmers, who are the backbone of the economy in these districts, are in extreme distress, leading many to consider suicide when they perceive all paths to relief as obstructed,” Dr. Singh stated upon concluding his visit.

Tiwari asserted that Dr. Singh's visit, accompanied by then Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar and other key figures, was partly motivated by grievances against the (then Congress-led state government), bureaucracy, and banks that appeared to hinder central assistance to farmers.

The meeting between Dr. Singh and farmers, including young and old, their spouses, children, and widows, combined with the state government's failure to effectively implement the Special Vidarbha Farm Package, ultimately contributed to the landmark national farm loan waiver of Rs 71,000 crore in 2008.

Tiwari credits the Congress party's return to power under Dr. Singh in the 2009 Lok Sabha elections to his notably 'farmer-friendly' policies and initiatives, contrasting sharply with the current treatment of farmers under the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) regime, where farmers are often viewed as adversaries of the state when they voice their concerns or engage in protests.

Farmers fondly remember how the composed Dr. Singh, along with his senior team of ministers and bureaucrats from both the state and central governments, conducted a meticulous analysis of the various challenges afflicting the agricultural sector, leading to the announcement of the extensive nationwide loan waiver that has since become part of farmers' collective memory.

(Quaid Najmi can be contacted at: qnajmi@gmail.com)